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Again I see opposition for the idea of a domestic league here in Canada. Are people's insecurities so entrenched?
I know that Canadians as a whole can't even comprehend the idea of going it alone with a home-grown organisation, but let's get some perspective here.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
All I know is that if this was a Canadian league, Canadian business owners such as Saputo and Melnyk wouldn't be salivating over the prospect of getting a piece of the pie. Even if 6 Canadian teams succeed in the MLS, there is no guarantee that those exact same 6 teams will succeed in an all Canadian league. People in Canada just want to support the better product.Originally Posted by Cashcleaner
Yes, enough of this sucking america's dick.
Although, something (more like everything!) has to change in the CSA first. Because, like ExiledRed said, this would probably be a mistake to hand it over to them.
From the CBC
A new player for a possible Major League Soccer expansion franchise north of the border has stepped forward.
The Globe and Mail reported Thursday that MLS president Mark Abbott met last week with Eugene Melnyk, owner of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, about the possibility of bringing the beautiful game to the nation's capital.
No details on how the talks went were given.
Any MLS expansion here will have to wait until a three-year Canadian exclusivity agreement with Toronto FC runs out in time for the 2010 season.
League commissioner Don Garber has previously named Vancouver as a possible expansion site, and Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo has said he wants a team for the city.
Major League Soccer has 14 teams and will add a 15th next season in Seattle, followed a year later by Philadelphia.
Did anyone know about the 3 year exclusivity agreement... this is news to me!
Canada just doesn't have enough of a market to support a Canadian-only league. Even our "national sport" hockey couldn't survive with a Canadian-only league.
TV rights. The American market is huge, as soccer catches on more and more in the US, we will see more and more money flowing into MLS. Eventually MLS could be one of the higher leagues in the world, after the EPL, Spain and Italy. We should want to be a part of it. Isolationist nationalism won't help. Having the top Canadians actually playing in Canada in a rich league will make us into a footballing nation.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
You're a little late to the party. That's okay!
The very first announcements of MLS coming to Toronto mentioned the 3 year exclusivity, and it's been mentioned many times since.
Toronto is willing to waive the agreement for Montreal's sake (because the rivalry will only help TFC). However, a team in Ottawa might eat into TFC's revenues (not to mention that the Sens have no love from MLSE), so they know full well it won't be waived for an Ottawa franchise.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
I truely believe that Garber wants the old NASL back. Well, at least part of it. I also believe he wants 3 Canadian clubs in the MLS before the smoke clears. TFC is in place and Montreal is pretty much a shoe in (barring expansion to their stadium). Vancouver seems to be a stick in the mud to his plans and even with Steve Nash coming aboard I can't really see the city just saying. 'Steve Nash...well then...okay we'll help you build a stadium.'
I think that Garber is looking for alternates for Vancouver IF they can't get their act together. Plus, this puts pressure on cities like St. Louis to get their ducks in row or they just may miss out on the MLS.
Last edited by Keystone FC; 06-21-2008 at 02:38 AM.
Granted they are not professional leagues but the OHL, QMJHL and the WHL are dong well for hockey.
dont think so.in the nhl all the canadians teams are making money and have growing revenues to the point that they are propping up the league and atleast 10 american franchises.having canadian teams in the league would be hugely successfull as in the case of our beloved tfc
ottawa would be a huge rival to montreal and toronto.You're a little late to the party. That's okay!
The very first announcements of MLS coming to Toronto mentioned the 3 year exclusivity, and it's been mentioned many times since.
Toronto is willing to waive the agreement for Montreal's sake (because the rivalry will only help TFC). However, a team in Ottawa might eat into TFC's revenues (not to mention that the Sens have no love from MLSE), so they know full well it won't be waived for an Ottawa franchise.
They'd be a perfect fit...
In MLS2. Lower division. Promotions and relegations.
How many teams is don garber gonna add into the league. Is he aiming for twenty, or gonna keep it at 18? If cities still want mls after 2012, why doesnt he start an mls 2 and put them there. Also put ottawa there
being one of them Ottawa people (well the valley but enough time spent in ottawa to give a say)
I just don't see it as viable. as already stated, look at the failures the city has seen. remember how struggling the senators were having financially just before they got lucky with the players they picked up in the last few years?
alot of people travel into ottawa for anything and everything. I wouldn't want to live there myself.
yes there's alot of technologies and big name biz in the city. but you'd still have to have people show up.
even if there was a team in ottawa, I would still rather drive the extra couple of hours to go to see a Toronto FC game.
I think people's opposition to a Canadian league is warranted.
There just isn't a large enough population base to sustain something that is going to be commerically successful. On top of that, soccer as a spectator sport is still growing around the country. Outside of 3 or 4 areas the idea is going to struggle.
If we have a domestic league, it should be done on a smaller scale with development in mind. That might have some wings. But to try and sell it as top flight, it's going to downgrade the quality and probably be a financial disaster..
Currently living in Ottawa - this is a hockey city without the interest or funds or time to deal with any other sports. They just lost a AAA baseball team and can't keep a CFL team to save their lives. How is this even a possibility?
I dont care where you live, you sound uneducated. The reason we lost the Renegades had nothing to do with fans, and all to do with the joke that was the ownership.
Theres more people on this board from ottawa then i thought, we could actually get our own rpb chapter in ottawa.
not to get into a pissing contest
yes there was some good fans there, but not enough clearly since they lost millions each year.
I've heard about ottawa football fans since I have several friends who were born and raised in the ottawa region that use to be renegade nation types of people.
but an empty stadium and poor results is still an empty stadium and poor results
I think they should stick to CFL failures.
The thing is, football has maxed out. the NFL tried to sell it to other places in the world and it just isn't working.
But soccer is growing everywhere. Is soccer even more popular in europe now than it ever was? It certainly is in Asia and is growing fast in North America.
The whole sports world is changing (well, no kidding, globalization is happening).
Melnyk is smart. In twenty years there will be a pro soccer league in Canada and many CFL stadiums in places like Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg will have soccer teams as the #1 tennant.
Probably sooner. (20 years is a loooooooooong time, sorry f I make any of you feel old)
This just makes me think of a Canadian Conference/League like Cash said. Barring a Canadian conference then regional divisions, like Germany has for its third (I think?) division or England has as its... ... sixth (I think again? BSS and BSN...) division. But this can only be probable down the line, TFC can field two or three Canadian starters without much worry but not any more than that. What happens when Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton are all begging to have Adam Braz as their defensive anchor?
how many failures have their been in Toronto sports history? toronto was an original memeber of the NBA and that team died...but the raptors are now here. toronto metros croatia and the toronto Blizzard..failed yet TFC is doing well...Ottawa could easily support MLS with the right owners. rather have Ottawa in then Vancouver or Montreal. forgot the toronto Arenas NHL, toronto Marlies, ohl, toronto shooting stars indoor soccer/lacrosse so TO has had its failures over the years.
Last edited by mighty_torontofc_2008; 06-22-2008 at 07:39 PM.
Totally agree. Turn the USL into MLS 2nd Division and add a few extra teams.
Well yeah, lot's of things make me feel oldProbably sooner. (20 years is a loooooooooong time, sorry f I make any of you feel old
I only said twenty years for the whole country - certainly parts of it will have soccer as a #1 or #2 sport before then.
Interesting watching the debate going on. Living here in Ottawa, here's my 2 cents:
1) The VAST majority of Ottawa people only get passionate about hockey. Bad CFL ownership, yes, but even if we had good ownership, would people still show up? I'm not sure. We have a small number of RPB & Voyageur members but we are in the tiny minority. In Toronto, lots of folks between 15-40 yrs old follow soccer & basketball. Here, that same demographic generally follows hockey.
2) We'd have to build a stadium and before anyone asks, no Lansdowne/Frank Clair as it is now is not an option; the place is falling apart! And then where would be put it? Please no, not Kanata for God's sakes!!!
3) Ottawa has to be the most conservative, staid, boring city in Canada. Sorry, I've lived here for 20+ years, I love this town a lot (it's home) but man, people don't like change here. The city is loaded with suburbanites who go home after work and lock themselves in for the evening!
4) Anyone who believes last year's U-20 success is a good springboard has to realize that this town loves events (Jazz Festival, Bluesfest, Tulip Festival, etc). To follow an MLS team from April-October? I'm not convinced...baseball is a good example of the fad-like nature of this city.
Like people have suggested, if we want to try soccer in this town, perhaps Mr. Melnyk would like to go for USL-1. I'm not sure he thinks that "small" scale though.
And traditionally the city becomes a ghost town on weekends in the summer. Lots of people get out of town to cottages and the like or spend their weekends by the pool in the suburbs.
This makes weekend tilts a challenge to sell. Just ask the departed pointy ball and baseball teams.
i think Garber is just talking to drum up competition. the more owner groups fighting for spots the better.
Good for them I hope it comes through. I also hope Edmonton or Calgary gets one as well.
If Van City, Mtl, Ottawa and Edmonton as well as Toronto had MLS teams it would be a huge boost for Canadian soccer and good for great rivalries. Think of how many times the MTL ultras would get beat up!
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Itll never happen, MLS is first and foremost made to build american soccer, they would never put canadian cities that have terrible track records ahead of american ones. I dont blame them. If Calgary/Edmonton and Ottawa are so psyched on it, let them join the USL. I would however like to see Mont and Van join as they do ahve good fan bases, huge money backing and massive potential for Derbies.
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